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Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Will Go Down as Anime’s Greatest Masterpiece or Its Biggest Mistake

November 1, 2025

There’s no questioning that Demon Slayeris one of the biggest anime franchises at the moment, and it’s looking like it might become one of the most influential of all time.Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has cemented itself as the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time, beating out hits like Demon Slayer: Mugen Train and Spirited Away.

While Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle has taken the world by storm, it’s affected the anime industry as a whole. Just as Crunchyroll’s massive success taught American streaming services just how lucrative anime can be, Infinity Castle showed how profitable and wide-reaching box offices can be.

Because of Infinity Castle’s success, every anime franchise wants to include a movie. Gone are the days of an anime franchise being seasonal; now, every anime from fellow shōnen hits to seinen sensations is going to add a movie to their lineup.

For the Past Decade, Anime Movies Have Mostly Been One-Offs

Studio Ghibli Dominated the Box Office

There haven’t been too many anime movies in the West. The few that have become fairly popular in America are almost exclusively one-off stories. Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and even the recent Suzume are all unique films that start and end their narratives within their 90-minute to 120-minute run times.

These films, especially the films from Studio Ghibli, make up the best anime films of all time. They’re amazing, beautiful, touching stories that stand out from traditional, seasonal anime. Even non-anime fans can appreciate a good Ghibli film, and because they’re one-off stories, these non-anime watchers don’t have to commit themselves to an entire series to understand the film.

Demon Slayer’s Movies Break Records

Infinity Castle Part One Is the Highest Grossing Japanese Film of All Time

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle - Tanjiro in Akaza's eye looking angry

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was always going to be succesful, but few could have predicted that it was going to shatter records. It eclipsed every other Japanese film to become the highest-grossing ever, and the next two Demon Slayer movies are probably going to break that record even further.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was more of a cultural phenomenon than a movie. Fans across America lined up like never before, draped in their own Demon Slayer outfits and costumes looking like they were ready to take on Akaza and the rest of the Demons as well.

Infinity Castle’s cultural success might be even more impactful on the future of anime than its commercial success, as it is nearly single-handedly changing public perception on anime. In the early 2000s, anime was seen as a small niche that few understood. Now, there aren’t many people who don’t know what anime is, and enjoying it has become more popular than ever.

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Shouldn’t Have Been a Movie

The Infinity Castle Arc Should Have Been a Seasonal Anime

Shinobu Kochi furiously hrabbing her haori

While Demon Slayer is an amazing franchise and the Infinity Castle movie had amazing moments, it shouldn’t have been a movie. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle felt like more of a cash-grab than a real movie, as every anime producer knew that it was going to be profitable.

At over two-and-a-half hours long, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle feels bloated. It adapts the manga well, but it would have been much better as a seasonal anime. One of the more important aspects of the Infinity Castle arc is the introduction of major villains’ backstories. Akaza’s backstory is one of the best parts of the movie, but it feels out of place.

The movie too often switches between high-paced action and sentimental, narrative-driven backstory. Again, this backstory is crucial to the narrative as a whole, but it doesn’t fit within the confines of a movie. As a seasonal anime, an episode or two dedicated to Akaza’s and Doma’s respective upbringings would have been much better.

Ufotable has receieved deserved praise for how well they’ve animated Demon Slayer, and while the movie was well animated, there were few moments that really took advantage of the fact that it was a movie. Other than Zenitsu’s Seventh Thunder Breathing Form, most moments could have looked just as good in a seasonal anime.

Now, Even The Apothecary Diaries Is Making a Movie

Even Non-Shonen Anime Series Want a Movie

The Apothecary Diaries anime featured image - The Apothecary Diaries key promo visual of Maomao, Xiolan, and LoulanShisui in the Winter Christmas snow

Demon Slayer has broken the anime film levee. Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Haikyu!! have all added films to their franchises in the hopes that they too can snag some box office funds. Now, even non-shōnen series want to get in on the action, as even The Apothecary Diaries is releasing a new film soon.

The Apothecary Diaries’ situation is a little different though, as the film the franchise is releasing next year won’t be part of the main story. Instead, it will be a side story that anime-only fans don’t necessarily have to watch to keep up with the main narrative. Still, it’s interesting that this film is coming out at all, and a key sign that Demon Slayer has changed the course of anime severely.

Demon Slayer’s Movies Will Shape Anime Forever

For Better or Worse, Anime Movies Are the Future

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle - Muzan Kibutsuji looking evil and excited

Demon Slayer’s movies are almost too successful for their own good. They’re more than just movies: they’re milestones, cultural moments, and momentous pieces of art that change the course of everything within their art form. For better or worse, there will be a permanent before and after when it comes to Demon Slayer.

While Demon Slayer’s Infinity Castle Arc might have worked better as a seasonal anime, there’s no questioning that the films made anime as a whole more accepted in America. People aren’t afraid to admit to liking anime like they used to, and it’s series like Demon Slayer that make that possible.

The Apothecary Diaries’ movie might be great, and it also might make anime more digestible for American audiences in the future. More streaming services are offering anime, and the art form has never been more accessible in the West. Hopefully, Demon Slayer’s nearly unbelievable success does more good than harm going forward.